Law AS and A Level

Course Code: S0717-S0765-S6823-S6824 Course Length: One year for AS and two years for a full A Level Full Description:

This subject answers questions such as, ‘Where does our law come from and how does it change?’ and ‘How does the legal system work?’ It can be relatedto most aspects of everyday life and will help you to understand your legal rights and participate in discussions and debates on topical issues.

The AS course covers sources of law and the English legal system, giving an insight into how the law works in the UK. It includes case law, statute law, the court system and the legal profession, and provides a fundamental knowledge for any further study of law.

At A2 level you will study criminal law, including the elements of a crime (the act and the intent) and types of crimes, and will complete a special study of one area of criminal law.

Classes will help you understand the law in detail and to apply it to a variety of situations. It is often contentious and there are plenty of opportunities to discuss and debate. Students on the course also take part in a Mock Trial Competition and trips to the local Magistrates’ and Crown Courts to see the law in action.

The subject is challenging and requires hard work and concentration, but is rewarding and stimulating. To succeed, you will need to have good listening skills and a good memory, be able to think logically and coherently and to express yourself clearly in essays.

Assessment is through two written exams in each year.

This A Level could lead on to a related degree course, such as; Law, History or Politics, but the skills you will learn, such as thinking and writing clearly and logically and interpreting and evaluating evidence, will be useful in a wide range of other subjects, and will also help you in a variety of careers such as; in the civil service, law or journalism.

Law can be taken with any other subjects, but students often choose; Government and Politics, History or English.

Entry requirements:

• Five GCSEs at grades A*-C including English
• A GCSE average points score of more than 5.0 (see page 16 for details of how this is calculated).

Please contact the Advice Shop for details of costs and start dates.

Please note that although the information given is believed to be correct at the time of publication, course information, costs where applicable and attendance details may change.